A type of genetically-modified (GM) pink pineapple is currently being sold in Thailand illegally.
Costa Rican company, Fresh Del Monte has been cultivating Pinkglow pineapples, which are allegedly less sour than regular pineapples, since 2005. The ‘Instagrammable’ pineapple became a hit in the US, and is now gaining traction in Thailand.
The US FDA has approved the consumption of Pinkglows in 2016.
However, Thailand has a strict GMO-free policy in place, and smuggling Pinkglows into the kingdom is a criminal offence punishable by up to 1 year in prison and/or a fine of up to Bt 20,000 (US$550). A warning has recently been issued by Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture.
The new pineapple has been genetically engineered to produce lower levels of the enzymes already in conventional pineapple that convert the pink pigment lycopene to the yellow pigment beta carotene. Lycopene is the pigment that makes tomatoes red and watermelons pink, so it is commonly and safely consumed.
Pinkglows are reportedly sweeter and juicier than regular pineapples, but are still packed with all the same nutrients, such as Vitamin C which is good for the immune system and manganese which makes bones stronger.
However, Pinkglows is a GM product and is illegal in Thailand under the Plant Quarantine Act B.E. 2507.
